Method and inclinable apparatus for coating metal articles



Sept. 10, 1929. H. B. NEWHALL METHOD AND INCLINABLE APPARATUS FOR COATING METAL ARTICLES Filed March 51, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Y 2 M M w W w m A BY W Sept. 10, 1929. H. B. NEWHALL METHOD AND INCLINABLE APPARATUS FOR COATING METAL ARTICLES Filed March 31, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet lNVENTOR B. New/MM Hen/"7 BY WWQW Patented Sept. 10, 1929.

HENRY B. NEWHALL, F PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY.

METHOD AND INCLINABLE APPARATUS FOR COATING METAL ARTICLES.

Application filed March 31, 1926. Serial No. 98,773.

This invention relates to methods of coating nuts, bolts and other small articles with molten metal, and more particularly to centrifugal apparatus for evenly distributing and removing the excess metal from the articles while the metal is still in the molten state, though it is noted that the invention is not limited to removing excess metal.

One object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind having an axially inclined basket adapted for continuous feed and discharge.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind having a centrifugal basket adapted to be axially adjusted for continuous or intermittent feed or discharge while the basket is rotating at high speed.

Another object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this kind having an axially inclined basket, the axis being adjustable for weights and sizes of articles and different treatments thereof.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and efficiency of centrifuges and to provide an apparatus of this kind which is economical, durable and reliable in operation, and economical to construct.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; andiwhile herein details of the invention are described and claimed, the invention is not limited to these, since manyand various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed in the broader claims.

The inventive features for the accom lishment of these and other objects are s own herein in connection with an improved axially inclined centrifuge which, briefly stated, includes a vertical main shaft and an adjustably inclined shaft driven therefrom by means of a universal joint connecting the shafts. A rocking bearing receiving the upper end of the inclined shaft is carried by an adjustably slidable carriage whereby the inclination of the inclined shaft may be adjusted. A downwardly pointing truncated cone shaped perforated basket fast on said inclined shaft receives the articles from a hopper provided with a suitable chute, and discharges them against an impact hood at the lower part of the lip of the basket from which hood they are deflected to a chute discharging into a cooling trough under the dischargeedge of the chute.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the assembled centrifuge;

Fig. 2 is a plan partly in horizontal section, parts being removed, said section being taken on the li ne'22 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line;

Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing the rocking bearing, said section being taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line.

The various parts of my improved apparatus are here shown mounted on a support comprising a platform 5 and a base 6 connected by.uprights 7 and 8 and carrying vertical lower thrust and upper annular bearings 9 and 10 atone end thereof in which rotates a vertical main shaft 11 carrying a universal oint 12 having its lower member 13 secured on the upper end of said shaft.

An adjustably inclined shaft 15 having its lower end secured to the upper member 16 of said joint has its upper end slidably received in a rocking annular bearing 17 provided with a trunnion 18 (Fig. 3) received in a bearing bore in a carriage slide-block 20 carrying fast thereon a horizontal screw rod 21 (F ig.. 1) and slidable between upper and lower slide rails 23 and 24 carried on a plate 25 carrying a pair of spaced brackets 26 and 27 having alined bores receiving said rod 21.

A chain wheel 30 between said brackets on said rod having threaded connection with the rod carries a hand chain 31, whereby the wheel may be rotated to slide the block 20 and adjust the angle of the slanting shaft and the tilt of a downwardly pointing truncated cone shaped rotary basket 35 held fast on an intermediate part of said inclined shaft and bracedby a spider 36 and having inclined perforated sidesfor the passage of spelter, the sides being sufficiently steep to prevent the discharge of articles when the basket is least tilted. The tilting of said basket may provide for continuous or intermittent discharge of articles and for maintaining different Weights of articles in the basket a proper length of time and for discharging them from the basket continuously or in batches, as will be explained. e l

A miter gear 38 on said main shaft 11 between said bearings is engaged by a beveled pinion 39 fast on a horizontal drive shaft 40 mounted in said uprights 7 and 8 beneaththe platform and carrying an outer pulley 41 and an intermediate clutch 42. A motor 43 disposed a distance from said shaft 40 has its own shaft provided with a pulley 44 around which is disposed a belt 45 passed around said pulley 41 for rotating the shafts 11 and 40 and the basket. 4

A cover or spelter baflle 47 disposed on the platform around said basket to stop spelter thrown, through the sides thereof includes an openable impact hood 48 at the lower part of the upper periphery of the basket to receive the impact of articles to be thrown thereover. Said cover is provided with an approximately central opening over the uppermost part of the mouth of the basket receiving a feed chute 50 of a hopper 51 disposed to one side of said opening, thus providing means for introducing the articles into the basket.

A curved discharge or receiving chute 53 disposed under said hood 48 and inclined at an angle of about 40 degrees receives the articles projected over the lip' of the basket against the hood, thereby to convey the articles outwardly into a curved cooling trough 54 under the discharge edge of the chute, said chute being provided with a spelter shield 55 extending upwardy to near the adjacent lip of the basket to prevent spelter passing through the perforations of the basket from entering the chute.

The platform 5 is extended under the entire cover and basket forreceiving all spelter v thrown or drained from thebasket.

Many methods of operating my improved apparatus may be employed. For instance, after pickling the articles, they may be placed in the usual perforated baskets heretofore known and immersed in molten zinc well above the melting point until the articles are raised to the temperature of molten zinc, after which they are thrown into the hopper 51 and allowed to discharge as quickly as possible into the basket 35 already rotating at high speed. The falling of the articles against the spider 36 and against the sides and bottom of the rotating basket jars off some of the spelter while additional spelter is thrown off as the articles acquire the motion and speed of the basket.

If the intermittent method is to be employed, the shaft 15 was previously adjusted by the chain 31 to rotate on the axis 15 The inclination of the axis 15 is sufliciently steep to cause the articles to be held in the basket by gravity thus overcoming the action of centrifugal force, which tends to cause the articles to climb out of the basket, but it does permit the articles to climb up the lower side of the basket more'than at the upper side thus causing an agitation of the articles, which tends to remove more spelter and prevent sticking. After the articles have been subjected to'the motion and centrifugal force of the rotating basket long enough, the shaft 15 is tilted to the position of the solid lines, and the downward gravity component so weakencd that the articles are forced up the side and over the lip of the basket into violent impact with the hood 48, and then against the chute 53, jarring off more spelter, whereupon the articles are deposited in the trough 54, which may contain water or other cooling medium.

If the continuous method, which is-the preferred method, is to be employed, the shaft 15 is first adjusted to the position of the solid lines, or to a position between' that and the position 15*, depending upon the weight and nature of thearticles and the quality of result required. The articles are introduced into the basket as above described, but immediately begin to climb up the sides of the basket and to spill over the edge of the basket against the impact hood 48, whence they are deflected to the chute 53 and then slide into the trough. The steeper the shaft 15 is adjusted, the more slowly the articles rise and the longer they are subjected to the centrifugal force. If the basket rotates at high speed, the shaft 15 should be more nearly vertical. If the articles are heavy, the centrifugal force is greater and v said shaft may be nearer the vertical. I

The baflie 47 is removed from time to time to "clear the platform of spelter.

I claim as my invention:

1. Anapparatus for removing excess molten metal from articles, said apparatus comprising means for suddenly jarring the articles .to remove part of the metal and submitting them to sudden high speed revolution in a path upwardly and outwardly spiraling on an axis slightly inclined to the vertical, whereby said articles are acted upon by centrifugal force for the removal of further metal and rise against the action of gravity, said means releasing the articles at the up er end of the path; and means for violently arring the articles as they leave said path to remove additional metal.

2. A method of removing excess molten metal from articles, said method comprising suddenly jarring the articles to remove part of the metal; submitting them to sudden high speed revolution in a path upwardly and outwardly spiraling on an axis slightly inclined to the vertical, whereby said articles are acted upon by centrifugal force for the removal of further metal and rise against the action of gravity; releasing the articles at the upper end of the path; and violently jarring the articles as they leave said path to remove additional metal.

3. In combination, an upwardly flaring perforated basket open at the top and closed at the bottom and rotary on an upwardly inclined axis; means for discharging articles into the top of the basket to ar the same against the sides of the basket after which the articles are revolved and projected from thetop of the basket, all parts of said basketbeing resistant to the heat and centrifugal force of hot molten-metal-covered articles.

4. In combination, an upwardly flaring perforated basket rotary on an axisslightly inclined to the vertical; a baflle receiving articles projected from the basket; and means for adjusting the direction of said axis.

5. In combination, a perforated basket r0- tary on an axis inclined to the vertical; a baflie receiving articlesprojected from the basket; and means for adjusting the direction of said axis thereby to adjust the rate at which the articles are received on the baflle.

6. In combination, an upwardly flaring perforated basket; a rotary shaft slightly inclined to the vertical supporting said basket; and a laterally adjustable bearing receiving the upper part of said shaft for adjusting the direction of said shaft.

7. An apparatus suitable for removing excess, molten metal from articles being galvanized, said apparatus comprising an upwardly flaring rotary basket having spokes therein, a bottom and perforated sides; and means for discharging articles into the basket against said spokes and sides to be jarred and shocked by the spokes; all parts of said basket and spokes being sufficiently resistant to Withstand the heat and impact of said articles.

8. In combination, a vertical main shaft; means for rotating themain shaft; an adjustably inclined shaft; a universal joint connecting said shafts; a rocking bearing receiving the upper end of the inclined shaft; anadjustably slidable carriage carrying the rocking bearing; a downwardly pointing truncated cone-shaped perforated basket on said inclined shaft; a chute discharging articles into the basket; and means receiving articles projected over the lip of the basket.

9. In combination, an inclined rotary shaft; a perforated basket coaxially mounted fast on said shaft; a spelter baflle around said basket including an openable impact hood at the lower part of the lip of the basket; a chute discharging articles into the basket; a chute receiving articles projected from said basket against the hood; and a trough under the discharge edge of the receiving chute.

Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 22nd day of March, A. D. 1926. 

